Method and system for producing images of an object

US5949364A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION · US

Inventors

• Stephen J. Katzberg · Yorktown, US
• James L. Garrison · Lafayette, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 6, 1998
• Grant date: Sep 7, 1999
• Expiry date: Jan 6, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S19/22
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method and system are provided to produce images of an object. A receiving station is positioned in view of a range-coded signal emitting satellite and the object. The receiving station is sensitive to direct transmission of the range-coded signal and reflections of the range-coded signal from the object. Both range from the receiving station to the object and a Doppler frequency shift history between the receiving station and the object is determined using the direct transmission and reflections of the range-coded signal. An image is formed using the two-dimensional record provided by the range and the Doppler frequency shift history.